Miss Vanda by Labyrinth: Bordier Butter Prata & More at Esplanade

Now that restaurants in Singapore have been given the green light to resume business in Phase 2, public spaces are alive and buzzing with the excitement of diners ready to meet up with friends. While we were all staying safe at home, a few F&B establishments have popped up to cater to the current climate of delivery and takeaway.

One such place is Miss Vanda by Labyrinth, which aims to be a more laid-back presentation of the original restaurant. The menu hopes to tug at your heartstrings as much as it nurtures the soul, with familiar local recipes that are reminiscent of homemade dishes.

For a limited run, they opened their dining space for reservations—till 2 July 2020—but you can still continue to order takeaway and delivery, as they had originally intended.

If you think prata can only push its boundaries to include banana and chocolate, their Bordier Butter Prata Kosong With Whipped Curry Lardo (S$12 for two pieces), will sweep you off your feet.

The prata was exceptionally buttery, flaky, and crispy; unlike anywhere I’ve eaten on our island.

It was almost too good to taint it with anything else, but of course, you can’t leave out the whipped curry lardo.

The familiar aroma of curry leaves and the rich, buttery texture of spread was indescribable. It had contrasting airy and creamy qualities, so it certainly was a unique experience.

Another unmissable appetiser is a classic with a twist, the Jackfruit And You Tiao Fritters With Peanut Rojak Sauce (S$14). This modest dish was presented as a mini mountain of fried youtiao cubes, deep-fried jackfruit, cucumbers, onions, crushed peanuts, and an ample drizzle of house peanut sauce.

The deep-fried jackfruit pieces were superbly sweet and really elevated the peanut sauce. The crunch and bite of this appetiser worked its magic to open my appetite and it’s certainly something you may be tempted to order two portions of!

As one of the priciest mains on the menu, the Portuguese Style 3 Cheese Wagyu Baked Rice With Truffled Beef Fat Fried Rice (S$48, +S$15 for 5g shaved black truffle) is great for three or four people to share. If there’s one word to describe this, it would be ‘opulent’.

It ticked all the right boxes with its cheesy, creamy, fatty decadence, and it took me and my dining partner quite a while to work our way to the bottom of the claypot. Don’t get me wrong; it got a tad cloying at some moments, but if you order a side of vegetables, it will balance out perfectly.

The wagyu chunks broke apart easily with just a spoon, and the rice had potent pepperiness that made this piping hot dish an absolute delight. Just remember not to rush through this dish, as it’s best to savour the fragrance and the deep flavours of the succulent wagyu beef.

A fan of sambal stingray? Their upsized XO Sambal Stingray (S$28) was a hefty dark orange slab whose unmistakeable scent drew me in. There was sufficient flesh to feed at least four people, so bear that in mind if you wish to order this.

My dining partner and I struggled to finish this, which was a shame, given that it was immaculately prepared. The sambal wasn’t spicy as much as it was savoury, and the stingray meat was tender. Add a spritz of lime and you’ll experience a heady mix of smoky, sweet, umami, and tangy flavours.

After all that, please ensure there’s room for dessert because their seasonal Mao Shan Wang Durian Sago “Salat” (S$10 for two pieces) is to-die-for. We know it’s durian season now, and if you had to consume durian any other way than the fruit itself, this has to be it.

With the top half being luscious durian, the contrasting texture of sago pearls below makes for an interesting mouthfeel. It eliminates the denseness that traditional salat oftentimes is plagued with, and instead, this dessert bite was lighter and more palatable—even with an ingredient as “heavy” as durian.

Although all the dishes on Miss Vanda by Labyrinth’s menu aren’t novel, their renditions will certainly make you re-think what rojak should taste like. Or perhaps, you’ll be too pampered by Miss Vanda’s version that you’ll never go back to anything less than that.

The dishes here stay true to their nostalgic roots and they are definitely made for sharing, so whether you dine-in or order-to-go, this is a new—and limited-run—place that you absolutely must try at least once!

Expected Damage: S$50 – S$65 per person